January 22, 2016
CapitalPress.com
Peterson Brothers tell their story in music Spokane Ag Expo, Pacific Northwest
Songs connect
public, agriculture
By MATTHEW WEAVER
Capital Press
They’re farmin’ and they
show it.
The Peterson Farm Broth-
ers first made an impression
in 2012 with their music video
“I’m Farming and I Grow It.”
The parody of the song “I’m
Sexy and I Know It” went vi-
ral on the YouTube Internet
site.
The brothers will speak
during the Pacific Northwest
Farm Forum main session
starting at 9 a.m. Wednesday,
Feb. 3, and again during the
FFA program at 9 a.m. Thurs-
day, Feb. 4. The brothers give
presentations based on their
videos, said Greg Peterson.
“We produce YouTube
videos basically to entertain
people, but also to advocate
for agriculture and farming,”
Peterson said. “We want peo-
ple to take notice of farmers
and appreciate them for what
they do.”
The Petersons live on a
fifth-generation family farm
in Kansas, raising beef cattle,
wheat, corn, soybeans, sor-
ghum and alfalfa.
Greg, 25, works full-time
on the farm, while brothers
Nathan, 22, and Kendall, 19,
attend college.
When addressing younger
audiences, the brothers talk
Courtesy photo
The Peterson Brothers will be
the featured speakers at the
2016 Spokane Ag Expo and
Pacific Northwest Farm Forum
during the main session that
starts at 9 a.m. Wednesday,
Feb. 3. They also will be fea-
tured during the FFA program,
which starts at 9 a.m. Thursday,
Feb. 4. They are known nation-
wide for their song parodies
with an agricultural theme.
about making the videos and
exploring opportunities that
life presents, Greg Peterson
said. They also stress the im-
portance of advocating for
agriculture and other passions
such as farming, FFA and the
rural lifestyle.
The videos are most pop-
ular among ag audiences, but
are finding an urban audience.
Teachers tell the brothers they
use the videos in classrooms
to help show students about
farming.
Peterson believes the rea-
son the videos have connected
with audiences can be traced
to their roots.
“Most people have a farm-
ing background somewhere
in their past, somewhere
in their ancestry,” he said.
“Even if they don’t have
that, I think people can re-
ally connect to a typical
Midwest farm family who
is helping produce food for
the world to eat — as well
as three brothers having fun,
singing and making these
videos together.”
The brothers receive
monthly payments from
YouTube and for speaking,
but they are not paid for the
parody videos because they
don’t own the music, Peter-
son said.
The Petersons will also
talk about social media use
during their presentation.
As audiences become far-
ther removed from the farm,
Peterson believes advocacy
is important.
“It’s up to everyone in-
volved to really try to tell the
story of ag to other people,”
he said.
Greg handles the behind-
the-scenes work, writing
lyrics, editing videos and
booking events for the broth-
ers. He estimates he divides
his time between the videos
and the farm roughly half and
half. The brothers focus on
farmwork during planting and
harvest, he said.
The Petersons plan to farm
together, but also hope to con-
tinue making the videos, per-
haps eventually shifting away
from parodies.
2016 Spokane AG Expo and Pacific Northwest Farm Forum
During Ag Week (Feb. 2-4, 2016) in Spokane
Your hosts are:
Greater Spokane Incorporated
and the Agribusiness Council
Alisha Benson
Interim CEO
Anne Marie Axworthy
Asst. Interim CEO Greater Spokane Incorporated
Dr. Christine Johnson
Community Colleges of Spokane
Board of Trustees
Chairwoman Greater Spokane Incorporated
Jay Allert
Aslin-Finch Company
Chairman, AgriBusiness Council
2016 Pacific Northwest Farm Forum Peterson Brothers Bronze Sponsors
• U.S. Rep. Cathy McMorris Rod-
gers
• Gavilon Grain, Lind
• Les Schwab Tire Centers
• NW Farmland Management LLC
• Pacific Northwest Farmers
Cooperative Inc.
• Rainier Seeds Inc.
• Spokane County Farm Bureau
• Washington Farm Bureau
• Washington State Potato
Commission
3
Farm Forum highlight Ag Week
By MATTHEW WEAVER
Capital Press
Each year, the City of Spo-
kane declares the week of the
Spokane Ag Expo and Pacific
Northwest Farm Forum to be
Ag Week.
This year, all exhibits, meet-
ings and presentations will be
in the newly expanded Spo-
kane Convention Center. The
trade show alone now occupies
120,000 square feet, said Jack
Reber, marketing manager for
the Expo.
The expansion includes
small and large meeting rooms,
which will house forum semi-
nars, recertification courses and
main sessions.
“It is now finally going to be
literally under one roof,” Reber
said. “Once the attendees get off
the bus or park in the parking
garage and step into the con-
vention center, they will never
have to go outdoors again until
they’re ready to go home.”
The original Expo occupied
20,000 square feet, Reber said.
The city’s Ag Week procla-
mation helps increase Expo at-
tendance, he said.
“If it’s successful for Expo,
it’s going to be successful for
Spokane,” Reber said. “It gives
a great reason and incentives for
the farmers to come into Spo-
kane for a day or several days.”
The events are increasing
their presence on such social
media as Facebook in an effort
to reach out to the younger gen-
eration.
Highlights of the week in-
clude:
• The Spokane Ag Expo trade
show, which will be Feb. 2-4.
• The annual Excellence in Agri-
culture award will be presented at 9
a.m. Tuesday, Feb. 2, before mete-
orologist Art Douglas speaks during
the Pacific Northwest Farm Forum
main session.
• A presentation by YouTube vid-
eo parody sensations the Peterson
Farm Brothers will start at 9 a.m.
Wednesday, Feb. 3.
• Washington State University
small grains economics professor
Randy Fortenbery will offer his as-
sessment for the coming year at
9:30 a.m. Wednesday, Feb. 3.
• The Washington Cattlemen’s
Association will hand out beef
samples starting at about 11 a.m.
Wednesday, Feb. 3.
• The Peterson Farm Brothers
will talk with FFA members at 9 a.m.
Thursday, Feb. 4.
• A Career Fair will take place at
11 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 4.
• The Cultivating Cooperative
Roots conference takes place Feb.
5-7.
• Company meetings and hospi-
tality rooms will take place through-
out the Expo.
• Exhibitors will offer presenta-
tions in special venues.
• The Agriculture in the North-
west Photography Contest pictures
will be on display.